A bone to pick with Christie's...

Posts

8,246

Likes

29,135

Tony C.

·Oct 24, 2024·Ωf Jury member

Christie's has an auction coming up, and included is the Patek described (and linked to) below, with a rather eye-watering estimate. What rubs me the wrong way, though, is that they don't even include an image of the movement!

Yes, of course they will presumably send one if you ask, but FFS, if they think it's worth at least a half a million CHF, surely they could show the frigigin' movement. 🤡

https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6507204?ldp_breadcrumb=back

 

Posts

16,305

Likes

45,025

JwRosenthal

·Oct 24, 2024

They had the back off too. Seems a rather glaring omission. But if you are paying half million for a watch you don’t need a movement, nor do you really care about time…the meetings don’t start without you.

 

Posts

24,798

Likes

55,079

Dan S

·Oct 24, 2024

I suspect that with people keeping records and tracking sales to identify frankens, auction houses would like to minimize the information they put into the public domain.

 

Posts

2,465

Likes

7,071

Deafboy

·Oct 24, 2024

These high-end auction sites are terrible when describing their lots. Few pictures, and those that are provided don't show the real condition of the watch (look at the picture below: it looks like a rendering than a real watch)*. Poor and vague descriptions of condition. For this they want 26% premium from the buyer!?!?!?
eBay is a better market than these places.

* not saying it is a rendering, but a real watch doesn't look like this.

 

Posts

16,305

Likes

45,025

JwRosenthal

·Oct 24, 2024

Let’s not forget the indirect Amazon $19.95 soft-tent lighting that has become a thing (think eBay store). The white on white on white bouncing around shows you nothing of value and can hide many sins.

I remember when the big auction house catalogues were the gold standard for beautiful documentary photography.

 

Posts

7,057

Likes

13,017

SpeedyPhill

·Oct 25, 2024

Auction houses often have a good idea what high-end bidders will bid for certain pieces. Just look at the 2017 auction item that went $450,312,500 !